Pay Forum News 2005

November 2005
October 2005
Comments on H.E.R.A.

Report from the Pay Forum Negotiaters - November 2005

The GAUT negotiating team are pleased to be able to report that they are now satisfied with the College's response to a series of crucial questions about the interpretation and application of the Memorandum of Understanding. We are able to confirm Goldsmiths AUT's support for H.E.R.A.. We advise AUT members, most especially those members whose roles have been selected for H.E.R.A. evaluation, that they should co-operate fully with H.E.R.A. We want to take this opportunity to underline the importance, for all AUT members including those who have not been selected for H.E.R.A., of roles being thoroughly and accurately analysed. This will depend critically on the completeness and the accuracy of the information provided by role holders and their full participation at every stage of the H.E.R.A. process.

DETAILED REPORT BACK

GAUT's lead negotiators, Natalie Fenton and Ed Randall, have supplied the following account of their discussions with senior College managers:

"All Goldsmith AUT members should be aware that GAUT has recently written to the College's Director of Human Resources to confirm that we have arrived at a common understanding of the terms upon which H.E.R.A. and the Framework Agreement on pay and a grading should proceed at Goldsmiths College. GAUT welcomed a statement from the College setting out a joint and shared interpretation of the Memorandum of Understanding, the Memorandum which brought an end to industrial action last year. The letter to the Director of Human Resources contains the following:

"After a period of considerable uncertainty we are really pleased to see that substantial progress has been made in arriving at a shared understanding of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and that the College has no desire or intention of trying to renegotiate the MoU.

"We note that the agreed statement on our joint interpretation of the MoU in relation to academic and related staff now includes the following:

"The College confirms its commitment to implement the Framework Agreement for the modernisation of pay structures, and associated Memorandum of Understanding, in full for all academic and academic-related members of staff."

"Given our lengthy and sometimes difficult discussions about this point it is very welcome to have it set out so clearly and unambiguously.

"Turning to the specific points you enumerate when listing the understanding we have reached on key principles "to ensure that the Memorandum of Understanding is implemented in relation to the relevant part of the final grade structure". We can confirm that we share your interpretation of what was agreed at our discussions of the MoU:

  1. Academic and related grades not expected to exceed five with role profiles for academic, research and academic-related staff; common grade boundaries and no differentiation in designing and applying new grading arrangements between new and existing staff (except where it is agreed to treat them differently); normal progression through the increments to the non-discretionary maximum of the grade (with contribution points at the top of the grade). We also understand and accept the need to ensure consistency with regulations designed to combat age-discrimination.
  2. The first academic grade to be the minimum entry-level grade for academic-related and research posts; academic and related roles to be supported by role-evaluation and fairly assessed; the existence of training positions in the grade where there is the normal expectation of advancing to the next academic grade, subject to meeting the expectations of the higher grade; support, through the College's Staff Development and Review process, to help the staff concerned meet the requirements of the appropriate grade 2 profile.
  3. Agreement that academic grade 2 will be the entry-level for lecturers. We also note that you accept that the non-discretionary maximum for this grade will be set no lower than point 36; that progression to this point will take no more than 10 years for academic-related staff appointed to the bottom of academic grade 1; progression to academic 2 will be consistent with the arrangements set out in point 2.
  4. Lecturers will have a normal expectation of progression from academic grade 2 to 3 in line with current progression from Lecturer A to B where staff will be expected to meet the teaching, administrative and research standards expected of a lecturer in grade 3.
  5. The non-discretionary maximum of the third academic and related grade will be set no lower than point 43.
  6. The non-discretionary maximum of the fourth academic and related grade will be set no lower than point 49.
  7. The minimum of the fifth academic and related grade will be set no lower than point 50.
  8. We also note and accept that 'references to the academic grades 1-5 in relation to the academic career path are as set out in Appendix C of the Framework Agreement and can be read across to the academic-related grades 6-10'."

AUT members should be aware that: "The MoU is an agreement that ensures any pay and grading structure will be no worse than the current structure in terms of the maximum non-discretionary salary point for each grade and the time it takes to get to reach the top of each grade as and when we transfer to the new single pay spine."

Details of the new single pay spine can be found on the AUT website http://aut.org.uk.

It is also important that all of GAUT's members are aware that when the final draft grading structure is agreed between the GAUT Executive and Goldsmiths management it will be put to a full vote of GAUT members.

Pamela Beevers, Natalie Fenton, Ed Randall

H.E.R.A Update 24/10/2005

Representatives of the Pay Forum have had constructive talks and are waiting for written confirmation of the College position on ensuring that a new grading structure will comply with the conditions set out in the Memorandum of Understanding. They will let members know as soon as confirmation is received.

GAUT are hoping that the H.E.R.A team will be able to make more use of the libary of roles.

H.E.R.A Update 5/10/2005

GAUT supports the aim of Framework Agreement on university pay to achieve equal pay for equal value. GAUT is also committed to the use of H.E.R.A. as a tool to do this by the national agreement on pay but believes it is vital that the process is seen to be fair and open.

In order to achieve this this staff must be well informed. It is important to realize that H.E.R.A. is not designed or intended to simply map scores onto a pay scale and grading system. The College's compliance with the Memorandum of Understanding is crucial to the implementation of the Framework Agreement and to protect the pay and produce an acceptable grading structure for our members so that they are not worse off financially over the short or longer term. GAUT representatives continue to insist on the key role of the MoU in implementing the Framework Agreement. While discussions continue in the College's Pay Forum GAUT needs to be confident that the terms of the MoU will be adhered to. We expect to hear very shortly whether this will be the case.

We are aware that a number of AUT members have concerns about the H.E.R.A. process. Please do not be afraid to raise your concerns with Eleanor Saunders and please make sure you copy in Pamela Beevers, the President of GAUT. This will enable the Union to press for clarification where it is needed. One frequent concern is that roles will not be understood. In an effort to help increase understanding of the process a new page will shortly be added to the GAUT website so that departmental and individual comments on the H.E.R.A. process can be shared as well as giving some useful links. Please send f.renton@gold.ac.ukany material you want to add.

To read the MoU go to: http://www.aut.org.uk/media/html/memorandum.html